Method and apparatus for non-conductively interconnecting integrated circuits
AssigneePolychip, Inc.
InventorsThomas F. Knight, David B. Salzman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus is described for capacitively signalling between different semiconductor chips and modules without the use of connectors, solder bumps, wire-bond interconnections or the like. Preferably, pairs of half-capacitor plates, one half located on each chip, module or substrate are used to capacitively couple signals from one chip, module or substrate to another. The use of plates relaxes the need for high precision alignment as well as reduces the area needed to effect signalling, and reduces or eliminates the requirements for exotic metallurgy.
Claims42
A modular electronic system comprising:
- a substrate;
- a ground plane in said substrate;
- a semiconductor chip;
- means for powering said chip;
- means for capacitively signalling between said chip and said substrate;
- and
- signal leads connected on said substrate and said chip to said means for capacitively signalling.
An electronic system comprising:
- a semiconductor chip;
- a substrate;
- a ground plane in said substrate;
- a plurality of electronic devices implemented on said chip, a signal lead of at least one of said plurality of electronic devices coupled to a first half-capacitor attached to said chip;
- and,
- a second half-capacitor attached to said substrate and capacitively coupling a signal to said first half-capacitor.
A modular electronic system comprising:
- a substrate;
- a chip;
- means for powering said chip;
- means for capacitively signaling between said chip and said substrate comprising first and second coupled half-capacitors, said first half-capacitor being associated with said chip and said second half-capacitor being associated with said substrate, said first and second coupled half-capacitors comprising effectively overlapping conductive regions separated by a gap that is at least partially filled with a dielectric;
- and
- a power connector extending through said dielectric.
A modular electronic system comprising:
- a substrate;
- a semiconductor chip;
- means for powering said chip;
- means for capacitively signalling between said chip and said substrate;
- and
- signal leads connected on said substrate and said chip to said means for capacitively signalling;
- wherein said means for capacitively signaling operates despite a substantial misalignment between said substrate and said chip.
A modular electronic system comprising:
- a substrate;
- a ground plane in said substrate;
- a chip;
- means for powering said chip;
- means for capacitively signaling between said chip and said substrate comprising first and second coupled half-capacitors, said first half-capacitor being associated with said chip and said second half-capacitor being associated with said substrate, said first and second coupled half-capacitors comprising effectively overlapping conductive regions separated by a gap;
- and
- an additional half-capacitor associated with one of said chip and said substrate.
A modular electronic system comprising:
- a first module having a plurality of semiconductor electronic devices, a first half-capacitor and at least one signal lead connecting said electronic devices to said first half-capacitor;
- a second module having a second half-capacitor, said modules being positioned such that said first and second half-capacitors provide a capacitive signal path between said first and second modules;
- and
- contacts for supplying DC power to said first module from a source outside said first module.
A modular electronic system comprising:
- a substrate;
- a ground plane supported by said substrate;
- a semiconductor chip;
- a first half-capacitor attached to said semiconductor chip;
- a plurality of electronic devices implemented on said chip, a signal lead of at least one of said plurality of electronic devices coupled to said first half-capacitor;
- and
- a second half-capacitor attached to said substrate and capacitively coupling a signal to said first half-capacitor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.